Chinese Buyers More Attracted to Electric Plug-in Cars than Americans
- 24/07/2015
- Transport
- Posted by Tessa Romarez
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In spite of the government’s aggressiveness in promoting electric plug-in cars for many years, it is only now that they are seeing good results from their efforts. One of them is the increase in Chinese buyers.
Whereas years ago, Chinese buyers are not keen on owning and driving an electric vehicle, now they give attention to the car and the superb features that it has, especially its ability to harness alternative sources of power.
They are a significant portion of the total sales of electric vehicles in the world. The Chinese have become more aggressive in making EV purchases. And the momentum has been maintained during the start of this year.
In fact, China is poised to surpass the United States in electric car sales this year, if its early sales figures prove to be accurate.
The most recent research in EV had indicated that the latest increase in sales is a result of obvious consumer trends. The research reveals that the Chinese buyers are known to be more open to buying electric vehicles than their American counterpart.
The study was conducted by researchers from companies like Ford, Carnegie Mellon University, and Drexel University and involved comparisons on hybrids, gasoline engine cars, plug in cars, and electric vehicles in the United States and China using 2012 and 2013 survey data.
Results of the study showed that the American consumers have little interest in buying an electric powertrain when compared to the Chinese. Researchers believe that this is because of proven patterns in the Chinese way of life.
For one, more than half of Chinese consumers are known first-time buyers, hence they are not that favourable of gas power-engined car, compared to U.S consumers who actually own a number of them already.
It is also common for Chinese buyers to own electric bicycles. Hence, they are already familiar to the recharging concept. This is quite the opposite as far as the Americans are concerned.
China cannot say much about its charging infrastructure. Still, it has a robust network of national passenger railroads, which means an existing alternative for long trips that would have to be done via cars in the US.
While experts observe better potential for the adoption of electric vehicles in China, researchers believe that it will not have a major impact in the environment of the country as it definitely would in the United States.
Clearly the electric grid of Chine is way less cleaner than that of the US, which means that it will boost any EV carbon footprint that will recharge from it.
In order to maximize the benefit of using new electric vehicles, it is a must that China shifts to the use of cleaner sources of energy. And with the study showing sustainable growth in EV sales, the report provides no explanation of the recent sales increase.
China has plans of providing attractive long-term incentives to those who adopt electric cars. It has also restricted new traditional car sales. These recent actions by the Chinese government is sure to lead to higher and more impressive growth in electric car sales.